


You Got Off Easy

by orphan_account



Category: Suits (TV)
Genre: Angst, Episode: s02e12 Blood in the Water, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, It is offscreen because I don't like that, M/M, Victim Blaming
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-19
Updated: 2014-10-19
Packaged: 2018-02-21 19:18:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,769
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2479502
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>One-shot filled prompt on the kink meme for Anonymous:<br/>"Ok so after Tess' husband found out she was cheating on him with Mike in Blood in the Water, he beat Mike up and Harvey said that he got off easy. Canon divergence: What if he didn't? Tess' husband rapes Mike (would be perfectly happy with this being off screen). Harvey says the same thing. Mike then blames himself, and of course Harvey remains angry about it. Eventually it comes out what happened, cue a lot of guilt on Harvey's part and comfort. Oh dear lord that's quite dark isn't it..."<br/>Obvious trigger warnings apply.</p>
            </blockquote>





	You Got Off Easy

Mike awoke to cold air and rain. He opened his eyes and tried to move, letting out a hiss of pain. It was dark. He realised he was leaning against a wall. Outside. Water fell lightly from the sky and Mike realised he was hurt and was almost grateful of the cold numbing his body. He let out a shaky cough. He was assaulted by the sudden knowledge that he could barely remember what had happened. Forgetting was such an unfamiliar feeling, he felt his pulse elevate and he began to panic. He pulled himself upright, leaning against the wall.

_“Yeah, you know who I am asshole.”_

Shit. Snippets of what happened were returning to him.

_“I’m sorry, okay? I-”_

_“For what? Sleeping with my wife? You didn’t do it on purpose?”_

He’d found out. Tess’ husband knew and he had found him.

_“It’s over, okay! I swear to God!” The first punch hit._

Mike felt his stomach and flinched. Yep, definitely bruised. And then everything came back.

_The stronger man kicks him against the glass. Mike coughs, and the lapels of his suit are grabbed and he is pulled back up. The man drags him into the dark alley. Mike murmurs a please, but he is shoved into the rough wall harshly. He is vaguely aware of the man being pressed against his back, whispering threats into his ear. Mike tries to push back at his attacker, but he doesn’t budge. Tess’ husband works Mike’s pants down. Mike bites back a sob, and the other man laughs quietly. Then there is pain, and Mike shuts down. He’s hyper-aware of everything. He tries focusing on something, anything else. He chokes out ‘no’s and ‘stop’s, but it doesn’t. It seems to last for hours, but he is finally dropped onto the dirty floor. The man spits on him._

_“Now you’ve cheated on her.” Mike hears footsteps, and the man yells back. “Keep your goddamn apology. Stay the hell away from Tess.”_

He curls into himself and doesn’t move for another half hour.

-

He didn’t know why he went to work next. He was covered in blood and ached all over, but he didn’t want to sleep. _He_ might come back. He stood in the elevator. As it neared the floor, he prayed no one would be there. Why would they? Yet, of course, as the doors opened they revealed Louis. He stepped out, hoping Louis hadn’t noticed.

“Oh my god, what the hell happened to you?”

 _Shit._ He really didn’t want Louis to find out about this.

“No, I don’t want to talk about it,” he replied.

But Louis grabbed his arm and takes him to the bathroom. They talked, Louis more than Mike. Louis patched him up. His face was still going to bruise so there’d be no hiding that. He thought Louis had probably cottoned on to what had actually happened, as Mike thought it was obvious. Of course people would know. Everyone would. They’d tease, they’d be disgusted. Mike’s heart clenched and he felt sick. As Louis rattled on, he managed a joke, changing the subject to why Louis had been outside the elevator with a box full of his stuff. They talked about Trent, and they left the bathroom and worked on the case. Mike felt better, the focus and discussion helping as a distraction. He was glad he wasn’t alone – it was easier with another person there. Someone who didn’t know what had happened. _Why_ it had happened. Mike felt momentarily disgusted with himself, but Louis shows him the mistakes in the deal and Mike knows that even Harvey won’t have seen them.

-

He walked into Harvey’s office, forgetting about his bruised face. He had been there all night.

“You can’t let Trent go with Allison, he’s-” Jessica was there, shit. “- gonna get screwed. I’m sorry, I-” She stares at him. Oh yeah, his face is a mess. “It’s nothing,” he needed an explanation. “It’s just some stairs, uh,” she went passed him and he breathed out. “Oh god.” When Jessica had finally left the room, he turned to Harvey, who was looking at him with something akin to disbelief and concern (Mike knew it wouldn’t be _concern_ , because Harvey doesn’t care). “ I’m so sorry, I didn’t see her there.”

“Who did this to you?” Harvey asked. Mike panicked – he couldn’t tell Harvey, he’d hate him.

“I’m fine,” he lied.

“You’re not. And after I’m done kicking his ass, the guy who did it isn’t gonna be either.” Normally Mike would tease Harvey for coming across as if he cared, but he didn’t. His stomach rolled.

“Harvey, let go,” he murmured.

“That’s not who I am.”

“I deserved it.” There. Mike knew it was true, of course he did. He was a whore, ruined some guy’s life. Ruined a new family. He deserved everything that came his way and more.

“What did you do?” Harvey asked incredulously.

“I don’t want to tell you.” Of course he didn’t, Harvey would hate him. He’d never want to be in the same room as Mike, let alone work with him. Mike knew it was obvious, I mean look at him, but he held out hope.

“I wouldn’t call this getting your shit together.” Mike swallowed.

“I don’t want to tell you because of the story you told me about your mom and your dad.”

Harvey stood up. Mike resisted the urge to flinch. “You got off easy.”

Mike nodded. All hope he held of Harvey not knowing left him. Of course he did, he must have. Harvey must find him disgusting. Hell, he found himself disgusting. Dirty. And he deserved it all, and Harvey thought so too. “I know.”

They talked about the case, Harvey’s barely veiled anger flaring at every possible moment. Mike was distracted. He told Harvey what he had to and left as soon as he could. Ears ringing, he walked straight to the toilets and promptly threw up his guts.

-

Not wanting to sleep, Mike lived off coffee and painkillers. Every movement hurt. He avoided Harvey as much as he could, and when he didn’t Harvey just (barely) tolerated him. Three days later, Mike hadn’t slept at all. He knew he must have looked tired. Harvey pulled him aside.

“I don’t care what shit happened to you Mike, but you’re not working as you should. I told you to get your shit together, not make it worse. Take the day off, I went you back here tomorrow and functioning. If you don’t, you’re fired.”

Mike went to the hospital. He knew they wouldn’t voice their judgements. He didn’t go to the nearest one though. He went to St. Lucia’s, a good few miles away from Pearson Hardman. He had broken his left wrist, and the nurse asked if there was anything else they should be checking. He plucked up the courage to weakly ask to check for STDs. The nurse smiled and stroked his hand. The doctor gave him some stronger pain medication. His blood tests came back clear and he breathed a sigh of relief. He pulled his sleeve down over his new cast and left.

As soon as he was out the door, he walked to get a cab. He went home, pushed a cabinet against his door and slept.

-

He got to work late. As he entered Harvey’s office, he wished the floor would swallow him up. Harvey yelled at him, like always. But it was more personal. Then the worst possible thing happened. Donna opened the door, and ushered in a tall, brown haired man. Tess’ husband. He grinned tightly as Harvey shook his hand. Mike was vaguely aware of Harvey telling him how he needs to ‘talk things out’ and get over it. He does however hear a threat from Harvey to the other man, veiled beneath layers of sarcasm. But Tess’ husband wasn’t stupid and replied in angry tones, saying something about this being a set up. The man left. Harvey turned to him and started to speak sternly. Mike passed out.

-

Harvey paced. Although not one to admit it, he was worried.

“Harvey, you had no idea he would react like that!” Donna said.

“I should have noticed something was actually wrong! I’ve been threatening to fire him, Donna.”

“When he wakes up, take him home."

Harvey did.

-

Harvey took Mike back to his place. Mike's flat was an accident waiting to happen. He sat Mike (who hasn't spoken since waking up) down and makes him coffee.

"Do you want to tell me what happened there, Mike? Not even you're such a big wuss that you pass out because someone just punched you a couple of times." Mike flinched and Harvey felt an unfamiliar feeling: guilt. He sat next to Mike tried to speak more softly. "Please, Mike."

"I thought you knew," Mike mumbled.

"Knew what?" Harvey asked, suddenly become more and more worried.

"What he did. What  _I_ did," Mike smiled at him sadly. "I'm disgusting."

Harvey clenched his jaw. He wasn't going to let what happened with his parents effect this. "Why?"

"I cheated on her too," Mike said tiredly. "On Tess."

Harvey looked at him, anger swelling up inside. He stood up. "What the fuck, Mike? I thought you were better than that! I can't believe you would do that, you fucking-" Harvey paused. He thought. Mike flinching at passing touches. Mike not sleeping. Mike passing out. He looked at Mike - he was looking down, shaking slightly. "Mike, I need you to listen to me carefully, and answer this one question. Did you cheat on her, or were you raped?" 

"Isn't it the same thing?"

Harvey's world shattered. He felt sick, and he pulled Mike out of his seat and into a tight hug. "No, no kid, it's not." Mike broke down, sobbing onto Harvey's shoulder. They stood there for ages, Harvey stroking Mike's hair as Mike sobbed gently onto his shoulder. Mike eventually pulled away.

"I'm sorry," Harvey said quietly. "I'm so sorry."

"You shouldn't be. I deserved it."

Harvey moves his hand to the side of Mike's face. "No, no you didn't. A couple of punches, yeah. But this? No one deserves this."

Harvey made Mike go to bed. Mike made a worried noise when Harvey went to leave, so he stopped and sat down next to Mike. As Mike fell asleep on his shoulder, Harvey made it his mission to destroy the man he had shook the hand of earlier. "You're going to be okay," he murmured to Mike, and he meant it. He was going to make sure of it.


End file.
